Page 38 of Arran's Obsession
They fitted together so easily.
Pure and uncomfortable envy made its presence known in my heart.
Beaming, the woman hopped down, turning her attention to me. “Oh my God. Not only is Arran home but he brings a girl. That boy is an ignorant pig man for staying away for so long.” She swept a look up and down me with unhidden interest, her rolling Scottish accent so pretty. “Whereas ye, my new friend, are a sight for sore eyes. Welcome to our home.”
The way she spoke to him was the same as I did to Riordan. My jealousy simmered.
“Did ye do that to his face?” She jacked a thumb at Arran.
He chuffed a laugh. “She wishes. It’s courtesy of your brother.”
“Did your dumb arse just stand there, close your eyes, and let Jamieson hit ye?”
He shrugged. “Pretty much. Also entertaining that you knew it was him and not Camden.”
She laughed then grinned at me, her curls bouncing with her movement. “Aren’t men idiots? What’s your name?”
“Genevieve.”
“I’m Cassiopeia. Cassie for short. We both got hit with the fancy name stick.”
“Your mother was a wild child, too, then?”
Her smile dimmed. “I wouldn’t know.”
A buzz sounded. Arran collected his phone from his pocket and scowled at the screen. “It’s Shade. Cassie, can you take Genevieve to introduce her to the family? I need to talk to my crew. Explain what happened. None of them know where I am.”
I chewed my lip. They would’ve seen him arrive at the warehouse, fast, judging on his parking when we’d come outside, then raid his game and speed off with one of the contestants. “Did I cause trouble?”
“In all areas of my life? Yes.”
Cassie looked between us then slowly backed away. “I’ll just grab my bag from the car. Be right back.”
Alone with Arran, I folded my arms. “Can’t you just say you decided to enter because you felt the animalistic need to claim me?”
“You forget, nobody from my team, including myself, can be involved. I’m going to badge it as a misunderstanding. The woman I’d been seeing accidentally put herself into the competition assuming I’d be participating. Spotting you on the cameras, I realised what happened and had to save you, losing my head once I was in there. With any luck, outsiders will accept the sentiment. It goes with the vibe. The possessive need. My crew is another matter.”
I twisted a toe on the marble, an unpleasant memory rising. “What about your gang buddy who was in there?”
“No one from my crew enters the basement while the game is in play. Aside from me this time.”
“That isn’t true. One of the men from your office was hunting me. I recognised him.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“I’m not. He wore a mask like everyone else and had black face paint across his eyes, but he’d also tried to paint out a tattoo on his wrist. It was a snake wrapped around his arm. The paint must’ve got smudged because the snake’s head was there as clear as day, right above his wrist. I also recognised the way he held his head at an angle. He was taunting me, calling me ‘little rabbit’, and trying to get me to run.”
Arran’s focus hardened, no hint of humour to him now. “You’re certain of what you saw,” he stated more than asked.
“Entirely. I’ve no reason to make it up.”
“I believe you.” He yelled to the front door, “Cassie?”
I’d known him a matter of days but I was starting to pick up telltale signs of the man. He was stubborn, yet I’d just provided the evidence to counter a fact he believed, and he accepted me. Simple as that.
I tucked that information away for later use. He hadn’t believed my side of events on why I was in the basement, but taking emotion out of it, I’d make another attempt.
Cassie skipped back inside, clutching a small suitcase. Arran went to her and murmured in her ear.